Council Me In - How Building Culture Starts with Conversation
4/9/2026 - By Rachel Ham - Stories and Insights
What started as a dozen people committed to fostering SouthState’s core values has grown into a thriving group nurturing feedback and ideas into beneficial programming: meet the SouthState Culture Council.
The Culture Council launched in 2023, though it was on leadership’s roadmap for quite some time. Members set out to champion SouthState’s culture and gather input from all areas of the bank.
“SouthState Board Member David Salyers once said, ‘You can create a program that starts big and fizzles out, or you can create a movement that starts small and grows really big.’ That resonated, and it’s been our goal to create a movement with the Culture Council,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Abbott.
Starting from a group of only 15 influential leaders initially, the council has now grown in membership to more than 20 leaders from across the Lines of Business, Regions and Support functions. Members complete a several-year term and then roll off, giving others the chance to serve. Each council member also works directly with a group of Culture Ambassadors they have selected to continue to spread the culture across SouthState.
The council is guided by the annual Team Member Engagement Survey. Collective feedback from team members allows the council to create desired initiatives to elevate the SouthState culture and improve the team member experience.
Each year, culture goals are created that link the strategic focuses of the company, the feedback from our team members through our various listening channels and what the Council believes directly impacts our team members’ lives.
The Culture Council launched in 2023, though it was on leadership’s roadmap for quite some time. Members set out to champion SouthState’s culture and gather input from all areas of the bank.
“SouthState Board Member David Salyers once said, ‘You can create a program that starts big and fizzles out, or you can create a movement that starts small and grows really big.’ That resonated, and it’s been our goal to create a movement with the Culture Council,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Abbott.
Starting from a group of only 15 influential leaders initially, the council has now grown in membership to more than 20 leaders from across the Lines of Business, Regions and Support functions. Members complete a several-year term and then roll off, giving others the chance to serve. Each council member also works directly with a group of Culture Ambassadors they have selected to continue to spread the culture across SouthState.
The council is guided by the annual Team Member Engagement Survey. Collective feedback from team members allows the council to create desired initiatives to elevate the SouthState culture and improve the team member experience.
Each year, culture goals are created that link the strategic focuses of the company, the feedback from our team members through our various listening channels and what the Council believes directly impacts our team members’ lives.
You can create a program that starts big and fizzles out, or you can create a movement that starts small and grows really big.
These culture goals are in the areas of team member engagement, leadership and team member development, talent recruitment and retention, corporate stewardship and brand/reputation.
This continual feedback loop ensures everyone can play a role in shaping SouthState’s culture.
“Culture is owned by everyone,” said Director of Human Resources Amy Cox.
From the start, executives showed their support for the council by attending and participating in the quarterly meetings, which often involve volunteer efforts like the one in Charlotte at Nourish Up. They quickly saw the power of culture and how intentional the group is in cultivating initiatives.
As the group has grown in number, we have a team of leaders tasked with executing programs developed by the council based on team member input. Ideas brought to fruition with support from the Culture Council include a regional leadership effort called “Elevate S.C.,” a Consumer Leadership Academy, regional culture awards, immersion of new hires through organized events and newsletter templates for regions to share their good news.
This continual feedback loop ensures everyone can play a role in shaping SouthState’s culture.
“Culture is owned by everyone,” said Director of Human Resources Amy Cox.
From the start, executives showed their support for the council by attending and participating in the quarterly meetings, which often involve volunteer efforts like the one in Charlotte at Nourish Up. They quickly saw the power of culture and how intentional the group is in cultivating initiatives.
As the group has grown in number, we have a team of leaders tasked with executing programs developed by the council based on team member input. Ideas brought to fruition with support from the Culture Council include a regional leadership effort called “Elevate S.C.,” a Consumer Leadership Academy, regional culture awards, immersion of new hires through organized events and newsletter templates for regions to share their good news.
We aim to provide autonomy to the Culture Ambassadors to implement positive change in their line of business or region... we hope they inspire other ambassadors, too
“We aim to provide autonomy to the Culture Ambassadors to implement positive change in their line of business or region,” Cox said. “We hope they inspire other ambassadors, too.”
One of the added benefits of the Culture Council is that having this forum has allowed new leaders to quickly be brought up to speed on SouthState’s culture and ongoing programs, especially post mergers and acquisitions.
“The Culture Council is more than just a meeting. We intentionally create an environment that brings people together and creates space for relationship building,” Abbott said.
The group spends time annually ensuring goals and execution are both on track.
“There’s still much to accomplish, but everyone is very engaged in this process of listening channels and taking necessary action,” Cox said. “Each member understands the value of this council.”
One of the added benefits of the Culture Council is that having this forum has allowed new leaders to quickly be brought up to speed on SouthState’s culture and ongoing programs, especially post mergers and acquisitions.
“The Culture Council is more than just a meeting. We intentionally create an environment that brings people together and creates space for relationship building,” Abbott said.
The group spends time annually ensuring goals and execution are both on track.
“There’s still much to accomplish, but everyone is very engaged in this process of listening channels and taking necessary action,” Cox said. “Each member understands the value of this council.”
